Sixty-Two Sixty-Two

The first real snow fall of the season - cue the Christmas music! Things are still plugging along - I can't believe we're a week from Thanksgiving. I'm really looking forward to my Thanksgiving morning 5k and then replacing those burned calories with some delicious food with great company. I'm happy to share that at the end of this month I will have hit a total of $20,000 knocked off of my total debt principle. It is also looking like I will have paid around $4000 in interest for the year, considerably less than the amount paid last year that became the namesake of this journal. I can't begin to explain the impact this has had. Combined with the improvement in physical health, I'm as happy as I remember being in a long while. Some would say we're living deprived. I have more money in the budget going towards debt than our monthly living obligations and "fun" each month. I'm successfully living off of a take home income over 50% less than

I'm in a mood. I usually get in this mood when I spend too much time with my spreadsheets like I have this Monday morning. I talked about the importance of having goals in my last post. I've talked to a close friend about my tendency to set too many goals, realizing how my brain feeds on this type of activity. But I felt inspired to write these out today. Physical health goals - 1. Feed myself intuitively - No black and white goals, but eat with health and a little enjoyment in mind. This includes a healthy relationship with alcohol, which has to be minimal. 2. Continue training for the 15k this spring. Look forward to running a half marathon. From there, find a sweet spot with running. (Hint, it won't be at distances greater than a 10k) 3. I've been in a good run lately with sleep - continue to get 7 hours minimum. (Challenge when you get up to go to the gym at 5am). Financial health goals - 1. Stay fired up to accomplish the 14 month goal as currently plan

I recently listened to a podcast with heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury on one of the podcasts I follow. He said something that might surprise many, but not me.  After winning the heavyweight championship, the pinnacle of what he dedicated his life to, he lived the worst depression he had ever experienced (having a history with the disorder). He had the belt, money, notoriety, yet he couldn't get himself out of bed. He would go to the gym, but had no fire any longer. The feelings got worse. He didn't want to box; he didn't want to live. The only time he didn't feel down was when he was drinking and taking drugs. The effects of the drugs masked the negative feelings. But when that hangover came, the depression had a heavier grip on him. He soon found himself weighing 400 lbs. They stripped him of his title. But he's making a comeback. And having goals, getting rid of drugs, and getting the natural high from an active lifestyle has him living, and sometimes loving, life

Nine and a half months in the books - has it ONLY been 285 days? Incredible. It has certainly felt longer at times, but it's write-ups like this one that make me think about how much has been accomplished in a relatively short amount of time.  Take a look at this graph. This is the graph where I track my net worth after removing my house and mortgage. I started with a negative net worth!! But now, it's climbed into the positive and is starting to become an incredible motivator. I took digital white out to the numbers, but my Sherlock Holmes like followers can probably crack the code. Funny how dirty it still feels sharing numbers, even though I have done it a few times.  Positive movement. Daily focus. It's paying off. There was a significant jump in the green line, measuring positive accounts. This came from two things. We have a company ESOP (employee stock ownership plan). It serves as an additional retirement savings vehicle. Our company has experienced